Im mostly jaded, I get tired of talking to people, or even looking at some, just because I feel like Ive had the same conversation over and over again. As for cynicism, I am that as well, I dont think anyone does anything out of pure selflessness, maybe a few exceptions, but still... Even so I am jaded and cynical, I dont like to make my cynical side show too much because everyone has their own opinion and to try to tell someone why theyre doing it just seems annoying, this is due to me being jaded because as a younger version of myself I had to go through a couple of mental therapy/ psychiatry stuff, and after a bunch of people telling me how to live my life, I got tired of it.

I wouldn't say I'm jaded, but I'm just slightly cynical. All I wear to school is a white/gray/black T-shirt, a black jacket, and jeans. I like to make people happy and help, but I never feel motivated to do much. If I don't see a reason for something, I probably won't bother with it unless it takes minimal effort and has no downside. People trying to belittle or yelling at me don't bother me, because I don't really care what they think of me. (Again, every day of school... white/gray/black T-shirt, a black jacket, and jeans.)

The other day during staff meal where I work, I was sitting with some co-workers. One co-worker in particular was ranting about somebody he'd been seeing, and speaking quite vulgarly about her because she went to Greece with her boyfriend (mind you, she was cheating on her boyfriend with my co-worker).

Not only did I make some obvious points to my co-worker (or not so obvious depending on the person), but I had told him that it might be best for him to destroy his interest in people, or at least his romantic interest, A fellow co-worker chimed in and agreed with me. We proceeded to tell him that he should stop seeking out romance with people, and just let it happen whenever it happens, because if people are interested in you they'll come to you, and not to force yourself into anybody else's life.

tl;dr - a co-worker told me my view on people is too jaded for my age. Do you guys consider yourself jaded or cynical when it comes to people?

Note - my co-worker who goes on these rants is 37, I'm 22. Go figure.

That's not jaded. I would have told him he was a douche and/or pathetic and got what he deserved by involving himself with someone who was taken. And even my considerably meaner version STILL isn't jaded.

After being screwed over multiple times by many people in my life, having my dad screw over my mom in child support, growing up in a poor family of three (mom, sister and myself), ostracized for no apparent reason by my peers save for my family, going through crisis after crisis whether it be the loss of everything I owned or losing many family members in freak accidents, being cheated on by the love of my life (at the time, looking back I can't help but be thankful I am no longer with her) I'd say I'm pretty cynical but at the same time optimistic (which sounds really weird when I think about it, but it's true nonetheless). I have very little trust in people until they genuinely prove otherwise and after that I'm incredibly loyal to them and hopeful for their happiness because good people deserve to have a good life. I'd also say that I'm not pessimistic but rather a realist with a hint of an idealist. I recognize the evil in people and crap that goes on in the world but I also have seen the good in life and personally hope to help humanity as a whole one day instead of having a day to day life. It's not pessimistic if it's the truth as proven by the majority (for example the bystander effect, that still bugs the shit out of me that it is actually a tried and true practice with people as a whole).

If I see someone in trouble I help them, mainly because I can't stand seeing people suffer, no matter to what degree. I empathize with people because after all the shit I've seen in life (and I'm just about to be 20 meaning it's basically been one hell after the next for I think the past 12 years) seeing someone else suffer even just a little, hurts me inside because no one deserves to suffer unless they inflict suffering on to others. Maybe that makes me selfish but I don't feel its selfishness, especially when it means going out of my way to help someone in need without a second thought. Going about life in this manner has made me happy despite the fact I should be emotionally broken and unable to trust or interact with anyone, much less be hopeful for humanity as a whole. I'm a hell of a lot more laid-back than I probably would have been.

By they way, your co-worker sounds like a piece of shit for actively engaging with a woman currently in a relationship (she's as bad because if a person actively goes for someone else, knowing they or themselves are in a relationship, they deserve to have the shit kicked out of them). I would have told him to go fuck himself followed by pouring coffee on his crotch that is unless he had no idea she had a boyfriend, then him being pissed would be pretty justifiable. I'd be disgusted by her and myself if I found out that she was cheating with me. Otherwise that dude has no sense of morality and frankly shouldn't be giving you shit for telling it as it is, that doesn't make you cynical, that makes you able to recognize immoral actions and as a result you (hopefully) have a pretty solid moral system to boot.

Edit: Good god I typed up a lot, sorry for a literal wall of text. So here's the gist of what I wrote:

TL;DR: Been through some of the worst life has to offer but I've also seen the good in life, it's just really hard to find. To me there is more bad than good in the world and I hope one day that will change and I want to help make it change, whether it be through the work I hope to do one day as well as the random acts of kindness I tend to do on a day to day basis. Your co-worker sucks and needs a swift kick in the ass unless this happened to him unknowingly, in which case his rant is somewhat reasonable.

After being screwed over multiple times by many people in my life, having my dad screw over my mom in child support, growing up in a poor family of three (mom, sister and myself), ostracized for no apparent reason by my peers save for my family, going through crisis after crisis whether it be the loss of everything I owned or losing many family members in freak accidents, being cheated on by the love of my life (at the time, looking back I can't help but be thankful I am no longer with her) I'd say I'm pretty cynical but at the same time optimistic (which sounds really weird when I think about it, but it's true nonetheless). I have very little trust in people until they genuinely prove otherwise and after that I'm incredibly loyal to them and hopeful for their happiness because good people deserve to have a good life. I'd also say that I'm not pessimistic but rather a realist with a hint of an idealist. I recognize the evil in people and crap that goes on in the world but I also have seen the good in life and personally hope to help humanity as a whole one day instead of having a day to day life. It's not pessimistic if it's the truth as proven by the majority (for example the bystander effect, that still bugs the shit out of me that it is actually a tried and true practice with people as a whole).

If I see someone in trouble I help them, mainly because I can't stand seeing people suffer, no matter to what degree. I empathize with people because after all the shit I've seen in life (and I'm just about to be 20 meaning it's basically been one hell after the next for I think the past 12 years) seeing someone else suffer even just a little, hurts me inside because no one deserves to suffer unless they inflict suffering on to others. Maybe that makes me selfish but I don't feel its selfishness, especially when it means going out of my way to help someone in need without a second thought. Going about life in this manner has made me happy despite the fact I should be emotionally broken and unable to trust or interact with anyone, much less be hopeful for humanity as a whole. I'm a hell of a lot more laid-back than I probably would have been.

By they way, your co-worker sounds like a piece of shit for actively engaging with a woman currently in a relationship (she's as bad because if a person actively goes for someone else, knowing they or themselves are in a relationship, they deserve to have the shit kicked out of them). I would have told him to go fuck himself followed by pouring coffee on his crotch that is unless he had no idea she had a boyfriend, then him being pissed would be pretty justifiable. I'd be disgusted by her and myself if I found out that she was cheating with me. Otherwise that dude has no sense of morality and frankly shouldn't be giving you shit for telling it as it is, that doesn't make you cynical, that makes you able to recognize immoral actions and as a result you (hopefully) have a pretty solid moral system to boot.

Edit: Good god I typed up a lot, sorry for a literal wall of text. So here's the gist of what I wrote:

TL;DR: Been through some of the worst life has to offer but I've also seen the good in life, it's just really hard to find. To me there is more bad than good in the world and I hope one day that will change and I want to help make it change, whether it be through the work I hope to do one day as well as the random acts of kindness I tend to do on a day to day basis. Your co-worker sucks and needs a swift kick in the ass unless this happened to him unknowingly, in which case his rant is somewhat reasonable.

Being a realist with a sense of idealism makes sense. I definitely understand what you mean though by nonstop shit happening.